20090607

Money and Dogs Part I: Finding Shadow

Meet our dog Shadow. We didn't have a dog, and we had a whole list of reasons why we couldn't get one.

1. We needed a fence

2. We needed a small dog

3. He couldn't be yappy

4. We had to make sure our kids were not allergic

5. He had to be good with kids

6. He couldn't shed

7. He would have to be pretty cheap

8. Our kids couldn't be afraid of him

I think my husband felt pretty comfortable with this list, because even though he had just finished the fence, what are the chances that a perfect dog like this would exist. And then we met Shadow.

He was a rescue dog. Someone from our church was losing their house. They found a new place, but they couldn't take their dog, could we think of anyone? They had just rescued this dog from someone who wasn't taking care of it, and he had been at the pound before that only a number of months ago.

So we tried to think of "someone" who could take their dog. We quizzed them down, and he was a BichonFrise, hypo allergenic, not a barker, or a shedder. He was good with kids, small, and he was free.

So I took her number and we said we would ask around. We told our kids about the dog. How he needed a home. How the place that he was being held for now had a big dog that was trying to fight him. Our kids melted. Hubby wanted to just see the dog.

We tracked down the house, and a very gruff man opened the door. Before we could say anything Shadow came through the door and sat on my feet. I didn't even have to look at my husband. I knew we were keeping this dog.

There are of course new expenses that come with having a dog: vet check ups, grooming, food, and accessories. But sometimes your heart makes better choices than your wallet. We were already a family of five living on one income that made for a tight budget, but there was no way were going to send that dog back to fend for himself against a loud bully dog in a dirty duplex.

So we made room in hearts, our home and our budget for a great little dog.